What does the augmented subtype do?

[Iziak]

As the header asks, what does the augmented subtype do? Why do certain templates grant it but not others (and is it gained or not if the template doesn't specify)?

Does it just serve as a note to GMs that, hey, the creature used to be this, or does it have some mechanical meaning which isn't discussed in the creature type descriptions of the Bestiaries?

Thank you!

[Chemlak]

Augmented is always paired with a creature type, and generally just means "this creature used to be one of these". It has no other effect, by RAW.

I'll write up a more detailed treatise when I get some time after work.

[Chemlak]

The game is (unfortunately) inconsistent in the application of the Augmented subtype - sometimes it gets used, other times it doesn't. Since the subtype has no game impact, this is usually not a problem, but it raises questions like yours fairly frequently.

What follows is more house-ruley than this forum usually is, but is my best understanding of the intention behind the subtype and its purpose.

1) Whenever something inherently changes a creature's type, it gains the Augmented subtype, with the creature's original type tagged on. It is nothing more, in itself, than a flag to tell you what the base creature's type was. The creature is no longer its original type, and is affected by spells, magic and other effects as per its new type. It is NOT affected by spells, magic and other effects as per its old type (however, see below).

2) The creature retains all existing subtypes, except where explicitly stated. This means that an elf who becomes a Lich now has the type Undead (Augmented Humanoid, Elf). It is still affected by Elf-bane weapons. A human Monk who gets Perfect Self has the type Outsider (Augmented Humanoid, Human) (the ability does not explicitly append the Native subtype, but it probably should). He is still considered to be human for all effects that explicitly affect the Human subtype (again, Bane weapons are one of the best examples of this).

3) Skill points from racial hit dice are recalculated. If an ape were to somehow become a monstrous humanoid, it would gain 2 skill points per hit dice, plus any extra as a result from changes to its Int score.

4) All other characteristics remain the same, except where explicitly mentioned in the effect that changed the creature's type.

As to the reason why some templates change a creature's type, and others do not (notably the Celestial and Fiendish templates), it's so that the creatures don't get all of the automatic things that creature type grants (skill points from racial hit dice being the biggie, there), and so that spells and effects that should work on them (say Charm Animal on a Celestial Badger) continue to do so.

[Iziak]

Chemlak wrote:

(Lots of good stuff)

Thank you for your lengthy explanation!

I wouldn't think that whether or not the augmented subtype is granted by a template would change the skill points the creature has; that has more to do with changing type in the first place.

I guess the most confusing thing for me is when the subtype is and isn't used. As examples:

1) The Fey template (Bestiary 3) does not grant it, but the Foo template does, even though they both change the creature's type.

2) The Foo template explicitly says that the augmented subtype is added. The Juju Zombie template (Bestiary 2) says nothing about the subtype being added, but the example creature has it.

3) The normal Zombie template specifically says that the subtype is not gained. The Foo template specifically says that it is. The Fey template says nothing about the subtype and DOES NOT grant it; the Juju Zombie template says nothing about the subtype and DOES grant it.

4) Perhaps most confusingly, the Lycanthrope template says nothing about the subtype. The template actually doesn't even change the creature's type (it just adds the shapechanger subtype). However, in the statistics for the wererat (but, curiously, not the werewolf), "augmented humanoid" is listed for the lycanthrope's human form on the same line as its race and class (NOT the same line as its type), and it is nowhere to be found in the hybrid form stat block.

Anyways, the reason I'm asking this is because I'm thinking about writing a 3pp supplement which includes some templates, and this is the one major template-related issue I can't quite figure out.

Thanks!

[Iziak]

Okay, in short:

When creating a template, should I always ignore the subtype, always add the subtype, or use it on a case-by-case basis and, if the last, what do I base its application on.

[Chemlak]

Okay, this could do on for hours, and I have a game starting soon, so this is going to be as quick as I can make it.

My personal take on it is that Augmented should be added whenever the creature's type changes. However, it is pretty clear that either the game devs don't agree with me, or they forget sometimes, or they have different criteria to me on when to apply it.

Having said that, though, especially after examining the examples you gave, a lot of it is based upon the intent of the Template itself. If the resultant creature is meant to be just an altered version of the base creature, it gains Augmented, but if it represents an entirely different species (something that may visually resemble the base creature, but has a defining characteristic that makes it different), then it does not.

So, at the end of the day, no hard and fast rule exists.

[Iziak]

Chemlak wrote:

Okay, this could do on for hours, and I have a game starting soon, so this is going to be as quick as I can make it.

My personal take on it is that Augmented should be added whenever the creature's type changes. However, it is pretty clear that either the game devs don't agree with me, or they forget sometimes, or they have different criteria to me on when to apply it.

Having said that, though, especially after examining the examples you gave, a lot of it is based upon the intent of the Template itself. If the resultant creature is meant to be just an altered version of the base creature, it gains Augmented, but if it represents an entirely different species (something that may visually resemble the base creature, but has a defining characteristic that makes it different), then it does not.

So, at the end of the day, no hard and fast rule exists.

Okay, thanks! Much appreciated.

[wraithstrike]

Most templates have a sample in the book. If the sample build has "augmented" then it should be applied to all other creatures also.